What happens after a preposition?
A preposition shows a relationship between people or things: who something is intended for, who accompanies us, who a message came from, who we talk about, or who something is near. When a personal pronoun replaces a name or noun after such a word, use the object form.
A quick guide: find the preposition and identify who or what it refers to. In simple combinations after for, with, to, from, about, near and between, use me, you, him, her, it, us or them.
preposition + me / you / him / her / it / us / them
- preposition —
- A word showing a relationship, such as in, on or from: from Ukraine.
This gift is for her.
This gift is for her.
For is a preposition, so it needs her after it, rather than she.
Come with us.
Come with us.
After with, use the object form us for a group including the speaker.
Subject and object form pairs
The form depends on the pronoun’s position and role. I, he, she, we and they usually function as subjects before the verb; their corresponding forms after a preposition are me, him, her, us and them.
You and it have identical subject and object forms. This is not an exception to the rule: they still have an object role after a preposition, but their spelling does not change.
I → me; you → you; he → him; she → her; it → it; we → us; they → them
She is waiting for me.
She is waiting for me.
She is the subject, while me follows for.
The note is for you.
The note is for you.
You has the same form as a subject and after a preposition.
The bag is near it.
The bag is near it.
It can replace an object already mentioned; its form does not change after near.
Choosing a pronoun by meaning
First identify who or what the pronoun replaces. One man or boy is usually referred to as him, one woman or girl as her, one thing as it, and several people or things as them.
Me includes the speaker alone; us includes the speaker together with others. You refers to the listener or listeners. A correct form with the wrong referent does not convey the intended meaning.
I have a message from Leo. It is from him.
I have a message from Leo. It is from him.
Him refers back to one named person, Leo.
My parents are here. I am with them.
My parents are here. I am with them.
Them replaces the plural my parents after with.
Maya and I are ready. The tickets are for us.
Maya and I are ready. The tickets are for us.
The group includes the speaker, so for needs us after it.
Common relationships: recipient, company and source
For often names the person something is intended for; to gives the recipient of movement or a message; with names a companion; from gives the source. Choose the preposition according to the meaning, then select the appropriate object form after it.
Do not learn these combinations as one long list. Picture a specific relationship: a gift for her, a conversation with him, a letter from them.
Please give it to him.
Please give it to him.
To identifies the recipient; he changes to him.
We are travelling with them.
We are travelling with them.
With names the people travelling with us, so use them.
This card is from her.
This card is from her.
From identifies the source, and she becomes her after it.
Topic, location and a simple phrase with between
After about, name the topic of a conversation; after near, describe a nearby location. In simple expressions, between can describe a position or relationship between two sides; pronouns after it also take the object form.
In the standard phrase between you and me, I is unsuitable because it is a subject form. Here we practise straightforward short phrases, rather than every possible complex prepositional construction.
We are talking about them.
We are talking about them.
Them follows about and replaces several people or things.
The empty seat is between them.
The empty seat is between them.
Them represents the two already-known sides after between.
Keep this between you and me.
Keep this between you and me.
Both pronouns belong to the phrase after between; use me, rather than I.
Distinguish a subject role from a position after a preposition
A sentence can contain both forms: They are sitting near us. They performs the action and is the subject; us follows near. Do not change every pronoun to an object form: check each one’s role.
A pronoun after a preposition need not be the direct object of the verb. For this rule, identify the local pattern preposition + pronoun and correctly express who or what you mean.
He is speaking to her.
He is speaking to her.
He is the subject before is speaking, while her follows to.
We have a table near them.
We have a table near them.
We names the speakers as the subject; them names another group after near.
Using the rule in speech
In conversation, we often name a person or thing first, then avoid repeating the name: This is Anna. The parcel is for her. Make sure the listener understands who or what the pronoun refers to.
For a self-check, take three steps: find the preposition, identify the referent, and choose the object form. Then read the whole sentence to check that the meaning remains clear and natural.
Leo is outside. Maya is waiting for him.
Leo is outside. Maya is waiting for him.
The name in the first sentence makes the referent of him unambiguous.
These keys are important. Please talk to me about them.
These keys are important. Please talk to me about them.
Me names the speaker after to; them replaces plural keys after about.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:This gift is for she.
Correct:This gift is for her.
After for, use the object form her; she is a subject form.
Incorrect:Please come with we.
Correct:Please come with us.
After with, use us for a group including the speaker, rather than we.
Incorrect:The message is from he.
Correct:The message is from him.
After from, use him; he is used as a subject.
Incorrect:They are talking about I.
Correct:They are talking about me.
About needs the object form me after it.
Incorrect:Keep this between you and I.
Correct:Keep this between you and me.
In a simple phrase after between, the speaker’s pronoun takes the form me.